Baggage

Sitting

Naruto is sitting.

It's quite unnatural actually.

To see such a once energetic boy so still and contemplative.

But despite his normal state of nature, he is sitting on a rock and thinking about...

...what was he thinking about again?

What had Kakashi advised him to think about?

Was it... that he needed to buy an extra futon for his new coming guest? Or was it about picking up said guest's medication?

Maybe it was that...

But Naruto can't remember now as he looks down and stares at his open-toed sandals. Which were stupidly designed to have his toes stick out in the open air. Naruto has always found that be a silly thing. He remembers how when he was younger how some boys in class never washed their feet in the bath. And how much he would groan about their feet smelling to himself. He laughs at that now, because he realizes how poor his own hygiene was when he was younger. But why must he always think of things like that now?

Is it because he can't remember why he was sent out here to think in the first place?

Or is it possibly because he's distracting himself from who's about to come into his life.

He's been in his life for what feels like forever it seems.

But never this close.

And never this different.

Sasuke's... not the same...

Naruto feels his gut twist as he thinks of that.

How has he just come to that conclusion?

Was he in denial?

No.

He was angry about it.

Or more sad than angry.

Disappointed as well.

But as he sits and stares at his shoes, he tries not to think of Sasuke.

For in two hours he knows that Sasuke will be discharged from the hospital.

And sent to his home to stay.

Maybe forever.

Naruto hopes he doesn't.

Not because he hates him.

But because it's hard for him to look at Sasuke.

When Sasuke can't see him back.

Or hear him back.

Or even speak back to him.

"Fuck..." Naruto whispers as he scrunches his toes together tight to think of something other than Sasuke's cloudy lifeless eyes that have come back to haunt him for the tenth time today. He hates that he was the one to volunteer in a way. For it had only been a month since he had beaten the life nearly out of Sasuke. Not that Sasuke wasn't at fault as well. But Naruto can express that anger in stares or words. But Sasuke can't do either. He's become nothing in the span of a month. And maybe that is what angers Naruto as he sits on his rock and tries to think of nothing and no one.

But Sasuke always seems to come to his mind when he tries to push him out.

Why is that?

Naruto had no answer as he slides down the rock and rests his head against its hard outside. Wet moss wetting his hair as he does.

He has...

...no answer at all...