Her Nameless Thief |NaruHina| Remastered

Chapter 13

The memory was hazy, but it clung to Naruto's mind like a scar. He remembered the ritual chamber, the flickering torchlight casting twisted shadows along the rough stone walls. He had been younger then, raw with anger and ambition, willing to give anything for power. It was his own choice—he'd volunteered to become the vessel for the spirit of Shura, the ancient curse whispered about in dark corners of Thieves' Landing.

Yet the moment it began, he realized he'd underestimated the price. As the ritual progressed, dark energy coursed through his veins, each pulse gnawing at his strength and sanity. His body felt as if it would break like he was being torn apart from the inside. The agony was so intense that parts of it were blank—gaps filled with screams and shadows, where he'd fought against the instinct to let go, to surrender to whatever force lay behind that power.

But then, there was only darkness.

Naruto shot awake, his breaths coming in short, ragged gasps as the faint echoes of that ancient fear coursed through him.

"...Naruto..." a gentle voice broke through the fog, grounding him. "Naruto... please..."

Hinata was beside him, her face close, her hand brushing damp strands of hair from his brow. Her eyes, wide and steady, held his, drawing him back from the edges of his nightmare.

"Naruto," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly, "it's okay. It was only a dream." Her hand on his shoulder was warm, and steady, keeping him in the present. Her gaze, full of calm, wrapped around him like a shield.

He exhaled slowly, the pounding in his chest gradually subsiding. Her presence pulled him back, softening the raw edge of terror that lingered in his mind.

Hinata's voice softened even further. "Whatever happened... it's over now." She offered him a small, reassuring smile, her hand still steady on his shoulder. He could only nod in response, the words caught in his throat, but her presence was enough.

Hinata's cheeks flushed pink as she realized how close she was to him, her hand still lingering on his shoulder. She pulled it back, looking down as she fumbled for words. "I, um... I just... wanted to make sure you were okay," she stammered, her gaze flickering up to meet him before quickly looking away again. "You... you seemed cold, and I couldn't let you stay like that."

Naruto looked around, noticing the fire she'd set up, the small campsite, and all the bits of herbs and paste scattered around him. He felt the dull ache in his body as he sat up, moving slowly. "How long was I out?" he asked, grimacing at the stiffness in his muscles.

Hinata glanced at the sky and then back at him. "About three hours... I, um, tried to do what I could with the medicine you taught me. And I tried to make a campsite..."

Naruto's hand brushed against his bare chest, feeling the rough patches of herbal paste she'd carefully applied over his wounds. He glanced down, seeing the bandages she'd improvised, even using bits of her robe to keep them in place. The scars were visible now, each telling a story from battles he rarely spoke about.

Looking up, he saw her watching him closely, eyes wide with concern and cheeks still flushed.

"Did... did you do all this?" he asked, still piecing together the details in his groggy state. He could barely believe it—she'd managed to care for him and keep him safe while he was out.

Hinata nodded, her gaze dropping to her hands as her fingers fidgeted with the frayed edges of her cloak. "I remembered what you taught me about herbs... and making a shelter. I didn't know if it would be enough, but I—"

"Hinata," he interrupted, his voice soft but filled with genuine gratitude. "Thank you. I don't know what I would've done without you." He managed a small, weary smile, the first genuine expression of warmth he'd shown since the fight.