Baggage

Him

Is he getting shorter?

Or is Naruto just growing up faster than him?

No.

Sasuke was always more grown Naruto. He was always smarter than him. Bigger than him. More than him.

So why did he seem so microscopic as he lays on his futon?

"You two need to establish some forms of slight communication with one another," the nurse says kindly as she places three paper bags on Naruto's countertop. All of the bags rattle with their content as they fall over. "You need to be very slow with him. Right now he feels incredibly excluded and cut off. So I would recommend staying close. And please make sure to check his eye for any discoloration outside the pupil. His false eye should be arriving within a few days. You'll have to come back to the office when it does come. But other than that, I think that's all. Other than the basics. He needs plenty of rest, water, and food. I would also ask that you have him sit outside every day for some fresh air. And if you could please assist him in regular bathing that will also help with his mental health. But for now just let him rest, hmm?"

"Of course," Naruto says back with a slight bow. "Thank you for taking such good care of him."

"My pleasure," the nurse states with a slight bow back as well. "The hospital is in your gratitude Naruto Uzumaki, it was you who restored us after the attacks on our village. We wish we could express our gratitude more..."

"No need," Naruto responds with blush dusting his whiskered cheeks. "It was all in a day's work for protecting my home."

"If only the world was filled with more people like you..." the nurse whispers kindly as she smiles and turns on her low healed shoes and leaves the apartment.

Naruto ponders on that as his eyes drift to the ajar door of the guest room

People like me...

Sasuke's asleep on the pillows. And he's wrapped himself tight in the blanket. His hair looks frayed and unwashed and overgrown as well. But it's still the same color it was the last time Naruto saw him. And it seems to be one of those few things that haven't yet changed or left on Sasuke's now fragile and baby bird-like body. His face is lightly bruised in some places. His body's recovery time is slower than time compared to Naruto, and all of his own special abilities. that he was blessed enough to keep. Even though Sasuke needed a million more things than him. He always received more. At least when he worked. But as he sits down on the floor next to Sasuke, to look closer at his sleeping face. He feels soft upon seeing it. For even though Sasuke's eyes are wrapped in bandages and his face is bruised. Naruto knows that at least for now, he is sleeping soundly. Not running away to Orochimaru or after his late brother.

Sasuke is here.

Here in Naruto's house.

Injured and rendered useless by his old sensei who sits now in the Hokage's office.

But he's here now.

After four years of endless chasing.

After so many tears.

A whole shinobi war.

Sasuke is home.

Unable to utter a word in response to it all.

Because Sasuke had thought that he had missed Madara's stab with a chakra rod.

Maybe if he hadn't forgotten about his throat injury, which he thought was minor.

He would have been able to have a voice to say sorry once again.

Maybe if he had realized how damaged and how infected his ears really were throughout all his battles.

He would have been able to hear Sakura scream out his name as she was impaled by Obito's hand.

And maybe he would have seen Naruto's tears in the hospital room that night.

If he hadn't lost his rinnegan to Kagyua's nails.

And if he maybe.

Just maybe hadn't lost his right eye.

Due to the shock of it all.

And his desire for more.

Naruto feels himself reaching out to touch Sasuke's face as he remembers why Sasukes is the way he is now. Never has he expected things to go this way. He has only just wanted for Sasuke to be okay. To come home.

So why?

Why is Sakura lying dead in a grave?

Why is Sasuke nothing more than a shell of the standard human being?

And why does Naruto feel guilty?

Is it selfish to feel guilt?

Sasuke's face is a millimeter away from Naruto's fingers.

He wants to brush his fingers against it.

He's lost so many friends.

But is Sasuke still really here?

Will touching the sleeping boy give him comfort in his guilt and embarrassment?

He's not sure.

But as his tanned fingers brush across Sasuke's pale skin. The raven reacts in an instant. Throwing himself blindly backward away in fear from whatever could have touched him. Naruto shouts surprise as he too jumps backward. His blue eyes swivel to try and find Sasuke's. But Naruto feels his emotions hit bricks as his eyes are only met at a bandage of tightly wrapped cotton. Hiding Sasuke's now useless eyes. And he closes his mouth quickly, for he knows that Sasuke is deaf to any of his words. And he tries to approach Sasuke slowly, but only to fail. For Sasuke tries to run to nowhere. And when Naruto catches him from a would-be painful fall, Sasuke squirms and kicks. Opening and closing his mouth fearfully. Scratching at anything he could find. So Naruto grasps hold of Sasuke's hands and forces them up to his face. He holds the raven's hands close to his cheeks, in the attempt to force him to feel the whiskers upon his face. He's supposed to be resting, and here he is, having a panic attack in Naruto's arms.

Gasping with not a sound coming out, helpless now to the world he thought he once could rule.

Now Naruto starts to regret everything.

As he holds Sasuke down.

Trying not to scream in anger.

For it would only reach his neighbors.