𝑺𝑻𝑰𝑳𝑳 𝑾𝑰𝑻𝑯 𝒀𝑶𝑼 | 𝑲.𝑰𝑵𝒁𝑼𝑲𝑨 [2]

Reconnecting

Ruka's hospital room was quiet, the soft hum of medical equipment and the muted conversations of passing staff the only sounds breaking the silence. The room had been decorated with small get-well-soon cards and colorful flowers from friends and loved ones, a testament to how deeply she was cared for.

The door to the room creaked open, and Kiba Inuzuka stepped inside. His usual confident stride was replaced by a hesitant gait, his hands shoved into his pockets as he approached Ruka's bedside. His eyes, which usually held a spark of defiant energy, were softened with concern and a touch of vulnerability.

"Hey," Kiba said softly, his voice almost a whisper as he pulled a chair closer to the bed and sat down. The weight of their past interactions hung heavily between them, unspoken and unresolved.

Ruka turned her head slowly, her eyes meeting his. She could see the traces of exhaustion and worry etched on his face, a reflection of the emotional turmoil she had caused. She took a deep breath, her voice trembling slightly as she began to speak.

"I'm sorry." Ruka said, her gaze dropping to her hands. "About the fight we had... before Asuma... before I ended up in this hospital."

Kiba's brow furrowed, and he looked at her with a mixture of sadness and confusion. "You don't have to—"

"No, I do," Ruka interrupted, her eyes meeting his again with a determined look. "I pushed you away when I needed you the most. I was so focused on trying to protect everyone and handle everything on my own that I forgot about you. I ignored you, and I didn't realize how much that hurt you. And then..." Her voice cracked. "And then I almost died, and I know how much pain that must have caused you."

Kiba's expression softened, his eyes reflecting the pain of those past moments. He leaned forward, his gaze steady as he spoke. "You were always so strong.  But... I wish you had relied on me more. I wish you'd let me be there for you instead of carrying all that weight by yourself. It wasn't just about the fight or the arguments. It's about everything we've been through."

Ruka's eyes filled with tears, and she looked down, trying to compose herself. "I didn't realize how much I was pushing you away. I was so caught up in my own struggles that I didn't see how much you were hurting, too. I'm sorry for everything. For making you feel like you were alone in this."

Kiba's gaze softened further, and he reached out, gently taking Ruka's hand in his. "It's not just about being strong. I love you, Ruka. Not because of your strength or your abilities. But because you're the only girl who has ever truly understood me. You see the real me, and that's something I've never had with anyone else."

Ruka's heart ached at his words, the honesty and vulnerability in his voice piercing through the walls she had built around herself. She squeezed his hand gently, her own tears falling freely now. "Kiba...."

Kiba's thumb gently brushed across the back of her hand, his eyes never leaving hers. "It's okay," he said softly. "We both made mistakes. But we can work through them. I'm here for you, no matter what. We can rebuild, and we can heal. Together."

Ruka nodded, her voice choked with emotion. "Thank you.."

Kiba's face brightened with a small, genuine smile, the tension in his shoulders easing. "We'll get through this. One step at a time. And I'll be right here with you."

-

"Are you sure you're okay by yourself here?" Kurenai asked, her voice filled with concern as she stood by the hospital bed, not wanting to leave Ruka all alone in the quiet, sterile room.

"Mom." The word slipped from Ruka's lips softly, and Kurenai's eyes widened in surprise. Ruka rarely used that term, and hearing it now, in such a tender moment, made her heart swell. "I'm going to be okay..." Ruka continued, trying to ease the worry in Kurenai's eyes.

Ruka's gaze shifted to the door, and she added, "Besides, I don't think he will be leaving me alone tonight..." She trailed off, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips. "Right, Konohamaru?"

Almost as if on cue, the door creaked open a few minutes later, and in stepped her younger brother, Konohamaru, with a bashful look on his face. "Yeah..." he muttered, unable to meet her eyes as he shuffled into the room.

Kurenai smiled at the sight of the Sarutobi siblings together. She leaned down to kiss Ruka gently on the forehead, her touch lingering for just a moment longer than usual. "Alright, I'll see you at home tomorrow," she said softly. She then turned to Konohamaru, affectionately ruffling his hair. "Take care of your sister."

With one last glance, Kurenai left the room, closing the door quietly behind her, leaving the siblings in a stillness that was both comforting and unsettling.

Ruka turned her attention back to Konohamaru, who stood awkwardly at the foot of the bed, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. She patted the empty spot beside her on the bed, offering him a small, encouraging smile. "Hey, sit beside me. I need to talk to you."

Konohamaru hesitated, his gaze flickering from her to the floor, before he finally walked over and sat down beside her. The mattress dipped slightly under his weight, and for a moment, neither of them spoke, the silence between them heavy with unspoken words.

"You were right about me," Ruka began, her voice low and filled with a mix of regret and resignation. "About me running away from my problems... and everything." She paused, her eyes fixed on a spot on the blanket as if it held the answers she was searching for. "I was not a good big sister, was I?"

Konohamaru looked at her, stunned by the raw vulnerability in her words. He wanted to protest, to tell her that she was wrong, that she was the best sister anyone could ask for. But before he could speak, Ruka continued, cutting him off with a gentle shake of her head.

"I thought what I was doing was to keep you safe..." Ruka's voice cracked, and she swallowed hard, trying to keep her emotions in check. "But I was wrong. I didn't realize that I was pushing everyone away... even you."

She looked up at him then, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. For the first time in a long while, Konohamaru saw just how tired she was—tired of carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders, tired of the battles she fought both on the battlefield and within herself.

"I've always wanted to protect you, Konohamaru," Ruka confessed, her voice trembling. "But somewhere along the way, I lost sight of what that really meant. I thought I had to do everything on my own, that I had to be strong for you... for everyone. But in doing so, I ended up hurting you the most."

Konohamaru shifted uneasily, his small hands fidgeting in his lap. Despite his youthful bravado, the weight of the conversation was clearly taking a toll on him. His eyes, usually filled with mischief and determination, were now clouded with a mix of guilt and concern.

"Big sis... it's not that you weren't a good sister," he started, his voice small but earnest. "I just— I wanted to be like you so much that when you were gone, I didn't know what to do. I tried to be strong, but I missed you. A lot."

Ruka's heart clenched at the sight of her brother, who always tried so hard to be like the adults around him, now struggling to express his feelings. She gently took his hand, squeezing it reassuringly.

"I know, Konohamaru," she said softly, her voice tinged with regret. "I never meant to make you feel that way. I thought by handling things on my own, keep you from worrying. But I see now that it only made things harder for you."

Konohamaru looked down, his brows furrowed as he processed her words. He was silent for a moment before he spoke again, his tone more resolute this time. "I'm not a kid anymore, sis. I can handle stuff, too. You don't have to do everything by yourself. We're family, right? We're supposed to help each other."

Ruka smiled, a genuine warmth in her expression as she saw the determination in her brother's eyes—so much like their grandfather's. She pulled him into a gentle hug, feeling the tension ease as he leaned into her embrace.

"You're right," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "We are family. And I promise, from now on, I won't shut you out. We'll face things together."

Konohamaru hugged her back tightly, the weight of their conversation lifting as they sat together in the quiet hospital room. For the first time in a long while, Ruka felt a sense of peace, knowing that she wasn't alone—and neither was her brother.