Never Trust Your Rinnegan (Tales of Sasuke's Travels)

Chapter 26

I've been thinking a lot about getting a beta reader again, but I'm not entirely sure if it would be worth it? Well, no, that's not true. I know it would probably be for the best, both quality and time wise. I guess private message me if you're interested and we'll go from there?

Eri's screaming immediately pulls Sasuke out of his bed. She'd been shifting around in her bed, which had already been enough to wake him, but he'd hoped it wouldn't devolve into anything else.

She bolts out of bed and as soon as she registers his face, falls into his arms, sobbing.

Sasuke blinks, confused by the turn of events. He and Eri aren't... close. Not really. Sasuke saved her from Chisaki, who he still needs to deal with, and then handed her over to Sana. There shouldn't really be a reason for her to run into his arms like this. But, well, the wonders of trauma bonding, he supposes. Even if it wasn't really that traumatic for him, apparently the effect still stuck.

She's muttering about how she doesn't want to go back and how she wants Sasuke to save her from Chisaki again.

It tugs at Sasuke's heartstrings in a way he didn't know he could experience at this stage of his life.

His hand hovers awkwardly over her head but eventually he begins moving it through her hair methodically.

He figures now would be a bad time to ask her if she'd be okay with him killing Chisaki. Sasuke knows that 13-16 year old him would be supremely pissed if someone came in and killed Orochimaru for him, but he's pretty sure Eri isn't as fixated on revenge as he was.

Yamada and Aizawa burst into the room and switch the lights on. They both seem to have been expecting this and honestly, so was Sasuke. He's genuinely surprised it didn't happen sooner, but then again, he's not often sleeping when Eri is.

Aizawa and Yamada make up for the verbal aspect of comforting, which is good since Sasuke probably would've sat in silence the whole time had they not shown up.

"It's alright, Eri. You're safe now." Yamada murmurs softly.

Eri's sobbing eventually subsides and eventually, her mind catches up with the situation.

"I-I'm sorry. Sorry. I-" She stumbles over her words, cutting herself off every time she tries to start a new sentence. Her breathing becomes more erratic as she apologizes, despite Yamada and Aizawa's reassurances that it's okay.

"It's fine, I was awake anyway." Sasuke says. "I'm only repaying a favour."

Eri's face contorts into confusion until her brain works through her memories.

Sasuke is referring to his nightmare... around last month (has it really been that long?) when she brought him food and sat with him. He's only doing the same for her now.

"Oh." She lets her eyes fall shut again. She says something else but it's so muffled that even Sasuke, with his better than average hearing, doesn't know what was said.

He picks her up with ease and lays her back in her bed.

"A favour?" Yamada echoes.

Ah, right. Yamada and Aizawa are also here.

"I had a similar incident. She sat with me as I did for her."

A small smile graces Yamada's face. "You did well, Sasuke."

Oh.

Sasuke blinks several times, allowing his brain to process the praise. He's... not entirely sure how he's supposed to respond to that.

They take his silence in stride and motion for him to follow them into the kitchen, since it's obvious that Sasuke has no intention of going back to sleep any time soon.