The Wolf Inside - A Naruto Fanfic - Watty Award Winner 2013

Chapter 66

Third Person's POV

"You're gonna be okay Sasuke-kun" Sakura assures the boy cheerfully, placing a small vase with a single white flower down on the bedside table. "Your injury could have been way more serious you know."

Sasuke ignores the pink haired girl, sitting up in his hospital bed and replaying the moment he'd been knocked out by the enemy, over and over again in his mind.

"Naruto was relieved that you're not too badly hurt as well" Sakura continues, oblivious to Sasuke's dark mood.

He really didn't feel like talking to anyone. If anything, he just wanted Sakura to leave. Not that he was listening to anything she was blathering on about anyway. All he could hear was the way the enemy had taunted him for being a weakling.

And yet.....

Sasuke's dark eyes narrow at the white sheets, his jaw clenched.

Naruto had easily defeated the tall Ninja who had stood in Team Seven's way on their mission. How had a weak, pathetic loser like him been able to defeat someone that Sasuke could barely get a hit on?

Sakura sits herself down in the chair beside Sasuke's bed and looks at the Uchiha with affectionate eyes.

"So, Sasuke-kun" she begins, smiling brightly. "Is there anything in particular you'd like to eat? I'll be happy to go and pick something up for you!"

A sudden noise at the window catches the attention of both Genin before Sasuke is able to answer however.

"Hey" Ashley says, almost accusingly, as she perches on the windowsill. "You guys are back!"

"Ashley!" Sakura greets, jumping to her feet and running over to the window.

The blonde kunoichi is unable to keep from grinning as she drops down from the window, a small yellow butterfly sitting on top of her head.

"I planned on being mad at you guys for not telling me you were back" Ashley muses, allowing Sakura to hug her happily. "But it's hard to be mad at you when you're so happy to see me."

Ashley glances over at Sasuke while Sakura holds her, noting the sombre expression on Sasuke's face. Well. At least one of them was happy to see her.

"I'll stay and catch up with you in a minute Ashley" Sakura chirps, eyes sparkling with happiness that her best friend had come to visit, "But I'm just quickly going to get something for Sasuke to eat!"

"See ya" Ashley replies distractedly, gazing at Sasuke as the pink haired girl skips from the room, seemingly oblivious to Sasuke's clear discontent.

What was wrong though, Ashley wasn't sure. Ino had been the one to tell her that Team Seven was back, with Sasuke being in the hospital, but it didn't seem as though he was injured. So what could be wrong with him?

"Sasuke?" Ashley addresses softly, dragging a chair up to the other side of the Uchiha's bed and settling down in it.

Sasuke ignores her however, lost in his own thoughts as he glares at his sheets angrily, hands clenched into fists.

"Sasuke?" Ashley asks again, a large vein beginning to pulse on the side of her head when the boy continues to ignore her. "Sasuke!"

"Ow!" he shouts as Ashley smacks him in the back of the head, his Sharingan automatically activating.

Ashley's eyes widen as Sasuke turns to glare at her surprised by his reaction, before her expression darkens and she bares her sharp teeth.

"Deactivate it" she orders stonily, only for Sasuke to continue glaring at her defiantly, still not seeming to be in his right mind.