Remembered Light (Naruto FanFic)

Chapter Sixteen

I woke up in my room. I sit up slowly, a sigh forming on my lips. That genjutsu took a lot out of me. I cringed as I remembered it. No one cared. No one cared about me. It was terrifying and emptying. I cluch my arms to myself, pacing the apartment anxiously. I wanted to. Desperately. I wanted to cut myself.

"I don't need to," I mutter to myself, clutching my head. "I don't need to cut myself." I straighten and walk out the door, and knock rapidly on the door across from me.

"Yes?" Naruto mumbles with his eyes still closed as he cracks the door open, "It's four in the morning, whaddya want?"

"Naruto," I whisper, and his eyes open quickly, taking in my sad and desperate expression.

"Keira! Uh, come in," he opens the door. I step into his room. "What's wrong?" He asks.

"I..." I can't finish the sentence. I didn't want to seem weak. But I can tell he understands, because he just hugs me.

"Do you want to bake something?" He asks. The absurdity of the question makes me laugh slightly. "What? I thought it would help distract you," he says, pouting slightly.

"Sure," I agree, "let's make a soufflé."

It turns out that neither of us knew how to make a soufflé.

I threw myself down on the floor, staring at the ceiling. Naruto joined me. "Who would know how to make a soufflé?" I ask, rolling over on my stomach.

We both look at each other, and at the same time say, "Sakura."

We lock the door and hurry down the street towards Sakura's house. I knock on her door, a smile on my face.

"What are you guys doing here at," she glances behind herself at a clock, "Four thirty in the morning?" She asked, a yawn escaping her lips.

"Soufflés," I say seriously, as if she was supposed to understand this.

"Soufflés?" She asked, voice pitched high with in incredulity.

"Neither Naruto nor I knew how to make a soufflé, so we came here. We thought you might know." I explain. "So, let us in?"

"Ah! Of course, come in. Sorry, I wasn't expecting you guys here insisting on making soufflés at four in the morning," she laughed slightly. "Why are we making soufflés again?"

I hesitate, glancing down. Sakura notices, and I see her expression sadden. "Just a distraction," Naruto grins. I send him a thankful look. I knew Sakura understood what I was being distracted from, but I didn't really want to be forced to say it out loud.

"One sec. My mom has her recipe book hidden away somewhere," Sakura waved us into the kitchen.

We began gathering the ingredients as Sakura flips through the recipe book. "Shh! We don't want to wake my parents up," She hissed as Naruto clangs some pans. She finds the page with an, "Aha!"

"Found it?" I ask, leaning over the counter and peering at the upside down writing.

"Yup. My moms soufflé." She smiled, running a finger down the ingredients.

"How can it be your mom's soufflé if you're making it?" Naruto asked, confused. I nodded, agreeing with his question.

"Because, Naruto. it's like my mum always said: The soufflé isn't the soufflé. The soufflé is the recipe." Sakura explained, pouring some milk in a bowl.

I grinned at her logic as I grabbed the flour, measuring it out carefully. I turned to dump it into the bowl, but accidentally knock into Naruto and spill it on him.