Naruto: The Seraph Project

Chapter 87: One with Lightning

Slowly, I open my eyes; I'm greeted by a subdued and acceptable light. My fingers are on fire, as if they were bleeding. I hear a regular and constant noise. The curtains don't cover the windows as usual, and I quickly understand why. The weather is grey, almost black; it's raining cats and dogs, and the rain hammers the glass mercilessly. The large clouds filled with water plunge Konohagakure into an artificial night. The soft darkness is comfortable, and the natural orchestra is a soothing melody. For once, I don't miss the sun.

As soon as I stand up, my mattress sags. Naruto climbs into my bed, smiling from ear to ear. My brain works in slow motion; I'm still a little dazed. I barely react when he sits on my legs to offer me a hug, taking me tenderly in his arms. I blink a few times and hug him back. Although I'm back in this daily life that I didn't miss at all, that of being bitten and having my chakra devoured every day, I feel relatively good. Fatigue left me; the pain in my arm is perfectly tolerable. Only hunger isn't there—rather, I dread breakfast...

Naruto separates from me and observes me kindly. It's early, probably morning. Yet, he's fully awake. His face is ugly with accumulated fatigue; double bags adorn his eyes, and his eyeballs are pink. Sure, he's content with short naps at all times of the day and night, but he has stopped sleeping. Since when? Impossible to know. To say I'm worried would be an understatement.

He will have a nervous breakdown, be irritable, be impulsive... Maa, even more than he already is. His mental strength has lost endurance; it doesn't matter if Naruto has been a shinobi since he was twelve. Unfortunately, he's emotionally fragile now. His broken psyche has just begun to heal. This isn't the time for him to lose his progress because he decided to watch over me, to the point of not sleeping at all. Moreover, the full-moon night didn't seem to have given him the slightest rest...

"Naruto, you have to sleep," I tell him dryly.

Guilty, the teenager lowers his head and avoids my eyes. I grab his wrists and caress them with my thumbs, and I soften my gaze. "There's no danger here. No one will hurt me, Naruto. I agree that this place stresses and frightens you. This is why I will watch over you. I can return the favour. I'll lend you my bed if necessary, but you have to sleep. Your body needs it."

Naruto lets out a sigh, showing that he understands me ... even though he doesn't want to; he's determined to watch over me, refuse sleep. He's so stubborn. I sigh. I have to find words and reasons that will speak to him and resonate with him.

"If you continue to stay awake, your body will reach its limits and give up. As a result, you will fall asleep so deeply that nothing will wake you up. This means that you won't be able to save me if my life is threatened. How are you gonna protect me if you can't do so? How can I trust you if you don't trust me, Naruto? Do you understand what I'm telling you?"

The blond lets out another sigh before rolling his eyes.

Naruto...

The desire to force you to sleep by hitting your sleep reflexology point crosses my mind.

At the same time, I notice that the texture of his skin is soft. It's no longer grainy. He's sitting on my legs, and he doesn't crush me either; he's back to his normal weight. He's already imbued itself with my lightning chakra... But I'm not sure. As I slide a careful hand over his arm, I don't feel any static electricity shocks. It's the same thing with his golden hair. Not the slightest tingling, buzzing or electric shock... Perplexed, I frown. Without shame, I lift his shirt to observe the mark on his chest. It has changed. The diamond is decorated with ebony scratches like lightning bolts.

"Naruto, can you produce lightning?"

Naruto tilts his head to the left, arching an eyebrow. He brandishes his arm from, which lightning escapes from the pores of his skin. What does that mean? Clearly, his body made the transition, and did so in record time. His hair is the same as yesterday; they aren't shaggy as they should be. However, his veil of static electricity is missing. If he became a lightning entity again, I should receive static shocks from touching him or being touched. Lost in my thoughts, I unconsciously caress my neck...