Obsidian Love

Chapter 20: Sunshine and Rainbows Have Rain in Between

The noise from the gymnasium slowly fades as they walk further from the place and tread their way towards the infirmary. Sasuke glances behind him and see Naruto deep in his thoughts. Possibly still about the incident.

Once inside the clinic, the nurse immediately tend to his injury and told him to rest for the mean time. It's nothing serious and the cut was shallow and yet the paleness of his skin doesn't help to lighten the blonde's expression.

"Naruto." he calls, his voice snapping the other from spacing out. "Come here." he added, patting the side of the bed which Naruto complied to by taking a seat in it.

Another session of silence engulfs the room, Sasuke watching every tiny details the blonde is currently showing. His passive yet fierce eyes digging its stares on the tiled floor, the slight narrowing of his brows and the gradual pursing of his lips into thin line; the way his hands grips the bed sheet unconsciously made the raven realize that Naruto is indeed bottling up the possible rage due to the incident.

"You can release it." Sasuke finally spoke, breaking the stillness between them. "If you're mad then don't hold back."

Naruto looks at him with eyes a little wide
before his eyelids drop in half. "But I can't." he shakes his head. "If I don't hold these back then what will happen to my parents' reputation? I can't tarnish their images just because of my inability to compose myself."

"Then let those go." Sasuke immediately replied that made Naruto looks at him again in disbelief.

"Let them go? After what they did to you?" the blonde asked with hint of annoyance lingering in his tone. "I won't let that!"

"Then what do you suggest?" the raven countered, leaning his back on the headboard, arms crossed. He raises a brow as if urging Naruto to come up with an answer that will solve his dilemma.

The blonde remain silent, eyes not leaving Sasuke's. It's the split second that the raven noticed something different from those aquamarine orbs that disappear almost instantly. It was dullness. It was the first time, surprising Sasuke of the idea that Naruto's eyes can sink in that depth and looks lifeless.

Terrifying.

In a sense that someone he deem as a living sunshine can actually lose its light.

"Naruto," he called after a while. The blonde remained silent that he realized he might be overthinking things again as he usually does. He reaches for the other's hand and guides him closer to his space.

Naruto slowly looks up at the raven's face. "I hate it." he confessed, catching Sasuke off guard. "I hate how powerless I feel right now. Why?" he continued, the earlier dull eyes getting filled with sadness and a bit of resignation.

"Why is it so easy for you, for everyone else, to jump in and protect people despite the consequences but I can't?" he questions, almost pleading for an answer.

"Naruto," Sasuke called again, in attempt to hold the blonde back to his senses. He's overwhelmed. He thought, gripping the other's hand a bit tighter.

"I want to protect you too." Naruto bites his lower lip hard, head falling to Sasuke's shoulder with a silent thud. "But I'm such a coward."

Sasuke softens, having to inhale deeply to lighten the current knot forming in his throat. "You're not." he said, trying not to choke. "You were always there."

When I can't move a muscle, you bravely stood in front of me. Your back was so comforting I feel like even death won't be too bad as long as you're the last thing I see.

"You were only seven when you shielded me from harm. You were only seven and yet you knew a lot better than run away and leave for your own safety. Although honestly that's what I want you to do during that time."