Uzumaki

Sleep

The first day, Satsuki is anxious.

"You're late!"

"Maa, well, I was- oh, where's Naruto?"

"I don't know. He never turned up..."

"Well. He must be sick. Let's continue..."

--

The second day, Sakura is anxious.

"You're late!"

"Maa, well, I was- what, is he sick again?"

"I guess..."

"Hm. I'd expect him to be exhausted after that trip... it's best if we check up on him, but today, we've been summoned..."

--

The third day, Kakashi is anxious.

"You're late!"

"Again?"

"Yeah... I guess he must be really sick. Can we go check on him, Kakashi-sensei?"

"That'd be best."

--

Knock. Knock.

"Naruto?" Kakashi said.

There were a couple of light footsteps, and the jiggling of a faulty lock, before the door opened.

"Hi," Naruto said. His voice was rough.

He looked awful.

It wasn't in a sickly fashion, Satsuki noted; his skin was the same shade of light brown, and his nails were white and healthy looking. But he looked generally unkempt, with dark bags under his eyes and a distant look in his eyes.

There was a stirring of worry in her chest.

"Where've you been the past two days?" Sakura said, and Satsuki found herself surprised at the gentleness in her voice.

Naruto brought a hand up to scratch the side of his head. He looked down.

"I... I haven't been feeling too great," he said, a laugh in his voice. Satsuki felt as though it was an obligation.

"Haven't you gone to the hospital?" Sakura asked.

Naruto was quiet for a moment, and he didn't look any of them in the eye. One hand pulled at the material on the side of his pants.

"It's not like that," he said, after a moment's thought. "I just..."

"If you're feeling sick, you should go to the hospital," Sakura said, folding her arms. "Staying at home won't make you better. Have you been sleeping?"

Satsuki yearned to say something.

Before their eyes, Naruto's expression and posture reformed itself. He laughed, scratching the back of his head.

"Don't worry about me! I'll be fine!"

Even as Naruto gave them a big smile, and Sakura tried to smile reassuringly back, Satsuki couldn't help but feel a heavy weight settle in the pit of her stomach as they left.

After they had been assigned a simple D-rank, Kakashi apologised and excused himself for the day.

Satsuki's inkling of worry became a dark, permanent blotch on her psyche.

--

"What is it, Kakashi?"

Kakashi tucked his book into his pocket.