| TANGLED |

{1} (Y/N) ✔️

Asuma Sarutobi landed on a branch, clutching his side. Minutes ago, he had completed his mission, however, he had gotten seriously injured during the mission. His only option was to go back to Konoha and seek medical attention, however, it looked like he would be delayed.

Asuma let out a groan, as he jumped down from the branch. He leaned against the tree, his eyes closed as he placed his hand over his hip. Holding in a groan, the male thought to himself. 'I should rest, and regain my chakra.'

He slowly opened his eyes and looked around the area, trying to find a good place to rest. His eyes caught a cave covered in vines. After looking around, to check if anyone was following, Asuma began to limp towards the cave.

After pushing the vines out of the way, Asuma was shocked to discover a tall tower. 'Maybe there are some medical supplies inside the tower.' And so, ignoring the pain in his leg, and hip, the male began to run towards the tower.

He pressed chakra to his feet and ran up the tower, jumping inside the window as soon as he reached. Feeling cautious, he looked around to find if anyone else was in the room.

"Go away." A female voice echoed through the walls, her voice slightly breaking in the end.

Asuma quickly turned his head towards the direction of the voice only to find darkness. The male glanced around before spotting closed curtains in the corner of his eyes. Holding in a groan of pain, he limped towards the curtains and opened them, revealing a tiny girl in the corner of the tower.

The girl let out a whimper as she tried to hide yet with no luck. Asuma stared at the girl and made the assumption she was most likely eleven years old. The girl had long (h/c) hair that was spread together in the ground, and (e/c) eyes. However, what surprised him the most was to see the girl's hands were strapped in chains.

Asuma gulped down the list of questions he wanted to ask her and instead focused on calming the poor child down. The male crouched down to his knees and began to talk in a gentle tone. "Are you alright?"

The (h/c) haired girl chose to stay silent. It was only after Asuma tried to take steps forwards did she speak up. "Please, leave." Tears filled her eyes yet she refused to let them flow.

Asuma immediately retraced his steps. He stared at the girl, wondering what he could do to help her. An idea entered his mind, yet it only caused him to sigh from embarrassment. He looked around, wondering if anyone was near before he crouched down on the ground. He began to mumble a lullaby his dead mother used to sing for him as a child. This brought back a few memories which caused a sad smile to grace his lips.

The long-haired girl stared at the Jounin, her (e/c) eyes analyzing the male.

Once Asuma finished mumbling his song, he made eye contact with the girl in front of him. He slowly stood up and took a small step forward, never breaking eye contact. The (h/c) haired girl was staring at him in silence as he continued to take small steps forward.

When he was close enough, Asuma crouched down and raised his hand. The (h/c) haired girl instantly flinched and began to tremble, fear slowly entering her body. However, she was surprised when the male caressed her cheek, which was stained with dried blood. "Who did this to do?" She heard him ask in a tone she hadn't heard in a long time.

Noticing her silence, the older male stood up and reached down to his pocket, taking out a Kunai Knife. At the sound, the (h/c) haired girl immediately shot up, her eyes holding panic and fear. She instantly closed her eyes and let out a whimper, as she began to tremble in fear. Yet seconds later, the sound of chains hitting the ground echoed through the walls. The long-haired girl opened her eyes to discover she was no longer trapped in chains. She looked up at the strange man in front of her to find a shadow covering his eyes.

Asuma bent down and picked the little girl up bridle style, causing a sound of confusion to escape her lips. The male began to make his way towards the window when the little girl finally spoke up, "They'll come, and they'll kill you too."

Asuma stayed silent for a few seconds before he asked, "What's your name?"

The (h/c) haired girl looked down to her dirty fingers before she mumbled, "(Y/N)."

Letting out a sound of agreement, the male called her name, causing the female to lift her head. She looked up to find him doing a weird thing with his lips; he was smiling.

"(Y/N), My name is Asuma Sarutobi. "I will take you to a place where no one can ever hurt you."

The (h/c) haired girl stared wide-eyed at the man. Tears filled her eyes as she had never heard such kindness from anyone in a long time. She slowly nodded her head, as if to tell the man she was listening before looking down at her fingers.

Asuma turned his attention away from the female and looked out the window. "Hold on," he warned, and listening to him, (Y/N) clutched onto his shirt, and hid her face against the man's chest.

Seconds later, (Y/N) felt a rush of wind. She opened her eyes to find her hair flying behind her, as the man who held her ran down the tower. Her eyes widened as he reached the grass, and began to run away from the tower.

(Y/N) turned around to look at the tower, as it grew further and further until it was out of sight. 'Am I free?' she thought to herself.

Concern filled the eleven-year-old once the man who carried her stopped in his tracks. 'Did he change his mind?' the girl was about to jump from the male's hold and began running away until she heard him let out a groan of pain. She looked all around his body to find a stain of blood on his side. Her (e/c) eyes widened as she looked up at his face to find him doing the same weird action again; he smiled down at her.

Asuma looked down at (Y/N) to find her staring at him in panic. He smiled, not wanting her to know he was in pain. He began running forward, ignoring the pain in his side.

(Y/N) looked down at his side, noticing how the blood began to flow freely. She looked back up at the male before she rolled herself out of his arms. She tumbled to the ground, her face slamming against the grass. "Are you alright?" she heard the man ask.

She ignored the male's question as she stood up, dirt covering her cheeks and forehead. (Y/N) grabbed a small but long, strand of her hair and began walking around the man, wrapping her hair around his stomach. Asuma could only stare at her in confusion.

Once she finished, she took a step back and began to sing."Flower, gleam and glow. Let your power, shine."

Asuma stared at (Y/N), his eyes wide-opened. He watched as the roots of her (h/c) hair glow into a brighter colour. He looked down at his stomach, witnessing as the hair around him glowed.

"Make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine. Heal what has been hurt. Change the fates' design. Save what has been lost. Bring back what once was mine, what once was mine."

When (Y/N) was finished, she slowly opened her eyes and gently tugged her hair causing it to fall to the ground.

Asuma's hands instinctively flew to his side. He began to feel around it, pressing as if to see if it would hurt. 'The pain...it's gone.'

The male turned his attention towards the quiet girl in front of him. 'Who is she?' he thought, curiosity filling his mind. However, instead of questioning the girl, the male bent down to the ground, ignoring the pain in his leg. Although the girl could heal him, he didn't know the side-effects. However just before he could pick her up, the little girl wrapped a strand of her hair around his leg and repeated her actions.

When she finished, Asuma chose to thank her before picking her up and carrying her bridal style. He now confirmed that this girl was not a threat to him or anyone. He flashed her a smile before he looked up and began running forward, each step he took brought him closer to his home; Konoha.