Black Light (Naruto)

Chapter 21

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Original: 02/16/2020

Edited: 11/02/2020

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Hikaru slowly stood up, slight pain coursing through his body. Once he clenched his fist, every single joint inside of his body ached, and not to mention his shoulder repeatedly popping. He should really start eating a bit more often, but there was a little voice whispering inside of him that this was his punishment for sending his friends to their deaths. 

It's been three days since he told Jiraiya, and he had yet to hear from the Toad Sage. Hikaru knew he needed time, but that was one thing he didn't have. 

He stretched, yawning from his restless sleep on the floor in his bedroom, quickly shuffling for a new shirt while applying his henge. His chakra had alerted him to a presence in his living room- one that was quickly identified as Naruto. 

So he left towards the living room, rubbing sleepily at his eyes. His red hair was in disarray, strands peeking up from the very top of his head. "Morning, Naruto. What are you doing here?" Hikaru grunted, taking care to keep his face impassive as his ankle suddenly spiked with pain. He must have landed on it oddly in the training the night before. 

His younger counterpart grinned, a tanned hand rubbing at the back of the blond's neck sheepishly. "You're late for breakfast, Hikaru-sensei, so I decided to wait for you, dattebayo!"

"How'd you get in?" Hikaru asked as he forced himself to wake up a little more, although he felt like he was floating still. He ran his fingers through his hair, leaning against a nearby wall, trying his best to pretend that the world wasn't spinning. 

His heartbeat pounded in his ears, the smallest sliver of pain embedding itself into his head. 

"There's nothing I can't brea- I mean open! There's nothing I can't open!" Naruto grinned widely, giving him a small thumbs-up. "Anyway, I'm hungry, 'ttebayo! Let's go get breakfast."

Hikaru nodded and swiftly got ready, peering into his wallet. He had enough, but he would really need to take a mission soon. "Let's go." Hikaru muttered, following Naruto outside. He could barely concentrate enough to put one foot in front of the other, and even breathing felt like a chore. 

Kami, he was really, really tired. 

He focused on the ground in front of him, vaguely hearing Naruto chattering about something. His vision spun for a split-second, his balance reeling so harshly that he almost, almost stumbled. But he couldn't let himself be like this in front of Naruto, so he tried his best to straighten up although his shoulders felt like they were going to fall off. 

"Eh?! Hikaru, are you okay? You look super pale, dattebayo!" Naruto exclaimed. Civillians glanced over at them, mindless eyes spinning with disgust and fear. 

Always fear. 

Hikaru was sick of it. 

"I'm okay." Hikaru mumbles as he saw the Ichikaru sign. He walked toward the small stand, his heart pitter-pattering in his throat. "Let's go eat."

They sat on the stools, and Hikaru waved Teuchi away as the middle-aged man looked towards him. "Not hungry, Teuchi. Sorry."

"You should eat something soon, Hikaru-san. You look like you're going to pass out." Teuchi said, before turning towards Naruto. "What'll you have, Naruto?"

Hikaru barely heard Naruto's order. He was bone-tired, a fog heavy over his mind, his knuckles cracking as he leaned onto his fist. His vision blurred once more, but Hikaru forced it away although it still loitered at the corners of his eyes.