Glassy Sky (A Naruto Fanfiction)

Hospital Days

He couldn't save Takeshi. He wasn't strong enough. The days following his death were filled with backbreaking training. He didn't stop until he was completely drained of chakra. Until his body shook with exhaustion. Until he could hardly move because of his depletion of energy. He kept thinking about how Takeshi could still be alive, if he was stronger. If he was more experienced.

Ryuu now sat in front of Yosuga, you laid in a hospital bed. Just like Takeshi had. But she was cleaned up, and covered with a hospital gown. Takeshi was bruised and bloody, and extremely pale. That's what really told Ryuu that his friend was dying. He half expected Takeshi to just get up and laugh it off, but when he saw how pale his skin was- almost like paper compared to his normal tan complexion- Ryuu's heart dropped.

The sword pierced right through his sternum. Dangerously close to his heart, but just barely missing it. Even if Takeshi did live, his lower half would be paralyzed. The sword cut right through his spinal cord. So maybe death was better for him. Takeshi wouldn't be able to live with legs that didn't work. Especially not in his clan. They would throw him away like he was garbage. Ryuu knew that imperfection was not allowed in their clan.

He put a hand on Yosuga's stomach. Right over one of her many puncture wounds. She had holes in her shoulder, her right thigh, left forearm, abdomen, and left calf. They weren't exactly fatal, but they were dangerous without proper care. She could bleed out of her bandages weren't changed every couple of hours. She could get an infection from the sand, or if her room wasn't sterilized. Her nerves could be damaged in some places, affecting the functionality of her limbs.

His hand glowed with green chakra. As soon as the nurses allowed her to have visitors, Ryuu was in her room. Many others that cared for her came too, but he was there everyday, healing her the best he could. It's been a week, and she was still comatose, but he was making progress. She missed the Hokage's funeral. The holes weren't as big, slowly closing with every session. He didn't know how long it would take for her to wake up, but he hoped it would be soon. At lot of people were waiting for her.

Ryuu used to really like her. He had a huge crush on her. At least, that's what he used to think. Now he thought maybe it was admiration, because she was so strong and cool. She was really pretty- she still is- but looks don't matter much to him. He admired her because she was smart, and didn't fawn over Sasuke like most girls did. She spoke her mind, and did her best in everything. He liked that.

He still does.

He felt like a lot of people were dying lately. He didn't want her to be added to the list. He couldn't save Takeshi, but he was going to save Yosuga.

***

Daichi held Yosuga's hand. A lot had happened in such a short amount of time. He had that feeling all over again. The feeling that he was about to lose something really important to him. The same feeling he had back in the Land of Fangs. When he almost killed her.

Except he didn't kill her this time, and she wasn't dead. But looking at her pale face, she looked dead, and it made his stomach churn. He hated that look of lifelessness in her. He didn't want to lose someone else. He already lost so many people, he couldn't take one more.

He tried not to come often. The clan might notice. But also because he didn't want to be there when she woke up. She would take her hand out of his, and ask what happened. He didn't want to be the one who had to tell her. He didn't want to see the look on her face when he told her all the terrible things that had happened. How her face would contort into a frown. Her eyes would widen. Her eyebrows would furrow. She would look away, at her hands, and bring them to her face. She would probably cry. She would most likely cry.

He didn't want to be the one that would make her cry. So he came very seldom, and in very short increments.

He took his hand away. It was time to go.

***

Sakura sat down in the chair next to Yosuga's bed. The nurse had just finished changing her bandages.

"Hey, Yosuga." She whispered, her thumbs rubbing the small vase in her hands. "It's been a while."

This was the first time she had visited Yosuga. She didn't know what she would say, or what she would do. She heard what happened. She kind of felt responsible. Maybe if she hadn't so stupidly tried to protect Sasuke, Gaara wouldn't have turned to her. Though, she didn't regret protecting Sasuke. If she hadn't, maybe he would be in this hospital bed instead of Yosuga. Sakura wasn't sure who she would prefer.

"Everyone's waiting for you to wake up." She chuckled dryly. "You're already getting yourself hurt like this, aren't you? Like on the Waves mission, and in the Forest of Death. But this time, I wasn't able to help you. Of course, I don't know how much help I was in the first place. But I probably could have done something. Being stuck to a tree, how lame is that?"

She liked helping Yosuga. She just liked being of use. Sakura hated feeling helpless. She knew she was weak, and couldn't do a lot, but Yosuga made her feel like she wasn't completely useless. Yosuga made her feel strong. Maybe because of the strong aura she held. She breathed boldness and calamity. Sakura rarely saw her lose her cool. She wanted to be like that. She wanted to be strong.

***

Naruto never made a move to touch her. He knew she didn't like being touched. She never said it, but her actions made it clear. He noticed, whenever someone even came near her. She would just barely narrow her eyes. She would tense, just a fraction. It was almost unnoticeable, but it was there. He didn't want her to tense around him. Everytime he would forget, and grab her arm, she would flinch and snatch her arms away. He wondered what made her like that.

Naruto didn't look at her. She looked too lifeless. Too pale. Too unlike herself. Everytime he glanced up from his lap, and his eyes landed on her face, that look of pain would flash into his memory. When she was in her arms, convulsing and struggling to breathe, and her face twisted into a look of agony. Her blood lingered on his hands. He washed them multiple times, when he usually barely washed them at all. He could still feel the sticky substance on his fingers. It made his nose wrinkle.

He knew Yosuga would wake up. She's had scares like this multiple times, and she always came out fine. She might be a bit emotionally unstable and distant for a while, but she'd be alive. That's all he needed.

---

I'm so screwed cause I'm an idiot and decided to take early classes so now I have to get up at the crack of dawn to get ready for school and then I have volleyball practice after school so just kill me