Rest Your Love: Sequel to Nothing Special

Chapter 13

One morning Aceso walked into find Sakura sitting beside Sai's bed peeling apples and Naruto asleep.

"Morning," Aceso greeted. "How are you feeling Sai?"

"Well, thank you," Sai answered looking up from his book.

"Can you believe Sai?" Sakura asked as Aceso went over to check on Naruto. "Sneaking out like that before his injuries had healed. And what where did it get him? Right-back in the hospital." Sai started laughing.

"It says here, that's what friends do," Sai said. "They rush to each other's aid in times of crisis."

"Huh?" Sakura asked looking up. "You're reading manga now? Oh boy. You're acting really random these days, Sai."

"I think he's acting fine," Aceso disagreed as she started to finish up.

"Here," Sakura said holding a plate up of peeled and cut apples for Sai. He stared at them. "Hmm? What's wrong?"

"It also says, when a woman feeds you, it's a sure sign that she likes you," Sai brought up. "It's not like I'm testing you, or anything."

"For goodness sake," Sakura groaned looking away. "Give me a break, will you?

"Ahh, Sakura," Naruto smiled in his sleep.

"Huh?" Sakura asked. Aceso looked up to see him hugging his pillow.

"I'm already stuffed," Naruto said. Sakura began shaking. " I couldn't eat another bite, really. Oh, well, if you insist, Sakura. Ok. For you maybe I can--" She turned around.

"I hope you choke on it!" Sakura growled shoving the apple in his mouth. Naruto started to choke on it.

"Hey, guys," Kakashi greeted opening the door. "Huh?" Kakashi looked over to see Aceso taking an apple out of Naruto's mouth.

"The manner in which Sakura fed Naruto that apple--" Sai thought about it as Naruto gasped for air. "It must mean that she--"

"Aaaah, help me!" Sakura cried out in defeat. "Why do I have to be on a team with these morons?" She crashed an apple with her hands.

"What's going on?" Kakashi asked. 

"Nothing out of the ordinary," Aceso answered as Naruto started to finally regain himself. She took a seat next to him on the bed.

"So," Kakashi laughed. "I hear you guys did all right for yourselves while I was gone."

"Speaking of which, where were you, anyway, dad?" Aceso asked. 

"Eh, nowhere special," Kakashi answered. The door opened again.

"Asuma-sensei," Sakura greeted. They looked over at him.

" I thought you'd be here," Asuma said. " I need to talk to you, Kakashi."

"Really?" Kakashi asked.

" I mean, if you've got a minute," Asuma said putting a hand behind his head. " Oh, Naruto, Sai. I brought a get-well present." He helped up a basket of apples.

"No! No! No!" Naruto cried out in a panic, he then put his forward. " I don't even want to see another apple." 

"Huh?" Asuma asked. He then took Kakashi out to talk. Soon Naruto started to undo the bandages on his legs. 

"What do you think you're doing, Naruto?" Aceso asked. 

" I don't have time to b lying around here in a hospital bed," Naruto answered. "I've got to get back to my training. The clocks ticking."

"Well, that maybe, but you're still not--" Sakura began. He took off the final bandage seeing on bruised up his legs were.

"You don't have to say it," Naruto said. "I'm still not strong enough. But that's why. That's my whole point. I have to make myself strong enough to master this power of mine so that I can use it to protect people, not hurt them. So something like this or worse doesn't happen again." He touched Aceso's face, his finger landing on her eye.