Spiraling

Chapter 34

"Who has the pink haired bitch?" Were the first words Naruto heard when he walked into the hospital a few days after Shikamaru sliced up her arm. It still brought a smile to his face. Word had spread about Sakura and what she had done and it was like Naruto got thrown back in time to when he first lost his parents. 

People stopping to console him, give him gifts, hugs, knowledge and etc. It was endearing and absolutely annoying how they were acting, he didn't want to be reminded that the bitch was literal floors away in his own domain on a life machine. He had the power to shut off the power but he knew other patients here needed it. And their lives were more important than some ungrateful bitch. He quickly made his way to his office to start stocking up the seals to hospital use. Along the way he gave a quick wave to Konohamaru who just came out of a surgery. The boy was a brilliant healer and Naruto couldn't be anymore proud of him. 

He took a quick peek in the lounge and saw his mother pacing the room while barking orders, she caught his eyes and smiled pulling him into a hug. "I thought you'd avoid the hospital until she was approved for release."

"I had planned to do that but I'm Head Medic so that would be petty and unprofessional. I want her out of my hospital as soon as possible. She's causing my staff to be unhinged." He said pulling away from her hug to fold his arms. 

Tsunade smiled a bit as she dismissed the rest of the staff to give them a bit more privacy. When the door closed she lost her smile. "I'm dropping her as a student. She's not getting off easy on this Naruto and you can't change my mind."

"Who said I was." Naruto challenged. "I'm still wound up from the field. It doesn't help she's here using up resources. I just feel like she's hitting a nail that shouldn't be there but it's there."

"Naruto what your mother did was out of grief not because you look like your father." Tsunade stated firmly as she held onto his biceps to bring him down to his height. "This wasn't your fault and you shouldn't be hating yourself for how you look. You are your parent's legacy, their love child and you turned out fantastic."

Naruto snorted. "Yeah I turned out great. A two-faced, sliver tongued teenager who has tendencies that would petrify almost every squeaky clean ninja. Hell the council thinks I'm a saint when in reality I'm just jaded to society."

"Your all that and more, your fiercely loyal to this village, your inner circle, your team of medics and torture specialists. You have a weird way of showing you care but you know that it will get across just fine. Your caring Naruto and your such a sweetheart with little screws loose-" She got cut off by Naruto laughing. 

It still sounded so innocent after years of trials and pain. She smiled and knew he would be just fine. "Alright I get it. Also dinner is at my place. Shikamaru's setting up decorations."

"When was the last time he left your apartment." Tsunade asked bewildered. "I don't think I've sent him on a mission for weeks now!"

"You know I once joked that he wouldn't need to see anyone else, just me. So I suggested we chain him to the foot of my bed-" He got slapped for it. He giggled as he felt healing chakra on his bruised cheek.

"I keep forgetting that he's with a maniac. Of course you'd keep him in your apartment."

"Don't get me wrong he's been helping us prepare Kurama for battle, he's pouring chakra into whatever Kurama eats when I'm not there." He gave a gentle smile and Tsunade swore she saw her little Naruto whose eyes sparkled when she gave him her necklace all those years ago. It was pure adoration. 

"Do you love him?" She found herself asking and she wasn't disappoint when his smile got wider, he didn't need words to deliver the answer, that alone was enough.  "They'd approve of him."