Fate Wheel | Naruto

𝟕𝟔| Sun's Skin

"Thunderstorms are as much our friends as the sunshine."
— Criss Jami,

───※ ·❆· ※───

DAWN

Something felt unusual, she could feel it.

Her skin was basked in warm sunlight from the open window, the first bit of warmth she felt after many gruelling days of treacherous coldness and dark clouds. As lightly as the sun touched her skin, did she feel desolate of any prior weight that burdened her shoulders and made her feel heavy and slow, as if she was dragging a mountain with a rope wherever she went. Now, something felt different. She didn't feel tired, she didn't feel deceitful, she didn't feel lonely, or undeserving, or upset.

Dawn felt... okay.

From the moment she opened her eyes, it took her a while to realise that she woke up naturally. Her cheeks weren't ridden with tears, her eyes weren't bloodshot, her heart wasn't pounding against her ribcage nor was her mind plagued with sempiternal memories of a nightmare. For once, she slept and woke up not feeling tired, she slept and truly woke up without fear. She felt fearless.

Dawn blinked a couple of times, wide awake and staring at the ceiling in deep thought. So much had occurred within these weeks and in all honesty, she wasn't as scared by the drastic change as she'd normally would've been. After all, this change was different, it was benefitting and eye-opening, a change that she ran away from not knowing that what she was running away from was good for her all along. And now that everything had happened all at once, she felt unclear on what to do next. Was there something she was meant to do or should she allow things to occur naturally?

"You're awake."

The temporary moment of distortion instantly crumbled away as her heart leaped out of her chest. She sat up, staring at the silver-haired man who sat on the wooden chair besides her with wide eyes, before calming down. Dawn didn't realise she had company, but her body tensed after a couple of seconds.

It was Kakashi, memories of what happened surfaced in her mind, she had broken down in his arms, wanting his reassurance, releasing the pent up emotions she'd felt, the anger of not being able to do anything, the warmth of finally having someone to listen to what she desperately wanted to say and be reassured by the comfort they provided, the words she said to him, the way she denied his help, not grabbing onto the hand he held out for her. It was what she wanted all along and yet she pushed him away.

She watched as he shut his orange book and placed it in the pocket of his jacket. If anything, Kakashi appeared nervous, an expression she'd never seen on him before.

"I mean, it's not like I sleep with my eyes open." Dawn chuckled gingerly, looking away as she sunk into the fabric of her blue scarf. "Not that I have anything against people who... sleep... with their eyes open."

It fell into an awkward silence, she didn't know what to say. Should she apologise for everything she hid from him and for nearly risking their lives by losing control? That despite every word of reassurance he has given her that a part of her still felt like this whole thing was an illusion that would crumble away into pieces the moment she properly awakened? He knew, he knew the things she was hiding, they all did, and she knew that she owed them an explanation.

A shaky breath escaped her mouth as she breathed in the scent of the scarf covering her face. It made her feel comfortable, as if he was right by her side reassuring her that everything was going to be okay and that Kakashi didn't hate her.