𝑺𝑻𝑰𝑳𝑳 𝑾𝑰𝑻𝑯 𝒀𝑶𝑼 | 𝑲.𝑰𝑵𝒁𝑼𝑲𝑨 [2]

Naggy Hokage

Ruka Sarutobi sat up in her hospital bed, the steady beeping of the monitors a constant reminder of her current state. Her body ached, but the pain was nothing compared to the restless energy coursing through her veins. She hated feeling confined, tied down by something as trivial as injuries. After everything she had been through, this seemed like a small inconvenience. She wanted to get back on her feet, to be out there doing something—anything—but laying around in a hospital bed was driving her mad.

She had just swung her legs over the side of the bed, ready to test how steady she could stand, when the door to her room burst open. In strode Tsunade, her aunt and the Fifth Hokage, with a look on her face that could only mean one thing: Ruka was about to get an earful.

"Where do you think you're going?" Tsunade's voice was a mix of irritation and concern, her sharp gaze locking onto Ruka's every movement.

Ruka stifled a groan, bracing herself for the oncoming storm. "I'm fine. I just need to stretch my legs."

"Stretch your legs?" Tsunade echoed, incredulous. She marched over to the bed and gently but firmly pushed Ruka back onto the mattress. "You're not leaving this hospital until I say so. Do you have any idea how close you were to—" Her voice faltered, the irritation giving way to something deeper, something that Ruka rarely saw in her aunt: fear.

Ruka blinked, a smile slowly spreading across her face. "You're really worried about me, aren't you?"

"Of course I'm worried about you, you idiot!" Tsunade snapped, though the harshness in her tone was tempered by the unmistakable worry in her eyes. "You think you can just waltz out of here after nearly getting yourself killed?"

"It's just a scratch," Ruka replied lightly, trying to ease the tension. She knew how serious her injuries had been, but seeing her normally composed aunt so flustered was a rare sight. It felt oddly comforting to know that someone was this concerned about her.

"A scratch?" Tsunade scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Do you have any idea how long it took to stabilize you? How many hours I spent making sure you'd wake up again?"

Ruka's smile widened, her heart warming at the genuine care behind her aunt's words. "I didn't realize you cared so much."

Tsunade huffed, her stern expression softening just a fraction. "You're my niece, Ruka. Of course I care. I've already lost too many people I love. I'm not about to lose you too."

Ruka's amusement shifted into something more tender, and she reached out to grasp Tsunade's hand. "I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

Tsunade looked at Ruka, her eyes searching her niece's face as if trying to gauge how much of that promise she could believe. "You better not," she said finally, her voice softer now, almost pleading. "You've been through hell, Ruka. You need time to heal—both physically and emotionally."

"I know," Ruka conceded, squeezing Tsunade's hand gently. "But it's hard for me to just sit still. I'm not good at being... helpless."

Tsunade's expression softened even more, a rare vulnerability showing through her usually stoic demeanor. "You're not helpless. You're one of the strongest people I know. But even the strongest need to rest sometimes."

Ruka nodded, her smile fading into something more serious, more introspective. "Thank you, Aunt Tsunade. For everything."

Tsunade patted her hand, her sternness returning, though it was laced with warmth. "Just don't make me worry like that again, alright?"

"I'll do my best," Ruka promised, a playful glint returning to her eyes. "But no guarantees."

Tsunade rolled her eyes, but the small smile tugging at her lips betrayed her fondness. "You're impossible."

Ruka chuckled, the sound light and genuine, easing some of the tension in the room. It felt good to laugh, to see the worry in Tsunade's eyes replaced by something more familiar. For a moment, Ruka allowed herself to bask in the warmth of her aunt's concern, finding comfort in the knowledge that she wasn't as alone as she sometimes felt.

As Tsunade finally stepped back, she pointed a finger at Ruka, her tone half-serious, half-teasing. "And don't even think about trying to sneak out. I'll have Shizune and a squad of ANBU on you before you can blink."

Ruka raised her hands in mock surrender, the smile never leaving her face. "Alright, alright. You win. I'll stay put... for now."

"Good," Tsunade said, though there was a touch of relief in her voice as she turned to leave the room. "Get some rest. We'll talk more in the morning."

As the door closed behind her, Ruka leaned back against the pillows, her mind still replaying the exchange. It wasn't often that Tsunade let her guard down like that, and it was even rarer for Ruka to see just how much she truly meant to her aunt.

For all her strength and independence, it was moments like these that reminded Ruka of the bonds she had—bonds that kept her grounded, that gave her something to fight for. And in that quiet hospital room, with the echoes of her aunt's words still lingering in the air, Ruka allowed herself to feel, just for a moment, the warmth of being cared for.

She wasn't alone. And for now, that was enough.