Chapter 6
Shikamaru watched as the nurse shuffled around the room before finally checking the vitals of the blonde that sat quietly in the bed placed across from the window.
Only a few weeks had passed since the blonde had awaked. Since his awakening, the blonde had not moved from his position on the bed. He didn't even acknowledge anything or anyone that tried to draw his attention. He simply stared out the window by his bed. Shikamaru doubted that the blonde had even slept at all.
The only comfort he got was that Naruto could breathe on his own instead of relying on the breathing tubes. However, not even that was enough. Shikamaru wanted the blonde to look at him, to speak to him, to yell or even scream at him, even if all that was directed at him were angry words. Shikamaru didn't care. He just wanted things to change.
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"
Naruto?" Naruto didn't respond. Naruto continued to stare at him before slowly turning to the window. Shikamaru took a shaky step forward, waiting for what obviously had to be a genjutsu to dispel and for reality to come back to him, but the scene in front of him did not waver. This was real. It didn't matter that his heart was pounding within his chest or that it felt as if someone was squeezing the hell out of it. It didn't matter that those eyes, those bright and radiant blue eyes, reflected nothing in them but simply stared back at him blank and empty, dead to the world. All that mattered now was that Naruto was awake
. Kakashi stood rooted in place. He told the ANBU standing guard in the hallway to alert the Hokage of the change in the blonde's status. Kakashi knew Tsunade would want to be notified that Naruto had woken up, but he himself was not sure he wanted to be here right now. Kakashi was or course overjoyed that the blonde was finally awake from his near four month coma, but Kakashi was not sure if he was ready to face his student just yet. Not after everything he had done. Kakashi's one visible eye glistened with sadness as he watched Shikamaru try to get a reaction from the blonde, only to fail miserably. The Nara heir was on the verge of a breakdown as he continued to get no response from the formerly hyperactive blonde. Kakashi desperately wanted to help but his shame would not let him. In his many years of active service as a shinobi of Konoha, Kakashi had seen many cases, most of which he wish he could forget, of ninja who have gone through severe traumatic experiences. Many of which those ninja never recovered. Many of those experiences were repulsively similar to Naruto's. Of those ninja only one had recovered, and even then he was plagued by the nightmares that came with it. Tsunade swiftly came into the room, and wasted no time checking on Naruto. Shizune wasn't far behind her, but chose to stay near Kakashi and Shikamaru as she worked. As with Shikamaru, Naruto didn't respond to her, still favoring staring blankly out the window. Tsunade frowned but continued working. She checked all his vitals: temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, and a few other essential readings before standing upright. Her brows were furrowed together in deep thought, maybe even worry. Shikamaru was the first to break the stifling silence. "
What's wrong with him?" Tsunade didn't answer at first but finally replied hesitantly. "I know that you have never had to deal with situations like this yet but even I know you know what going on." She closed her eyes. "He's suffering from a severe mental breakdown that has resulted in him retreating into a catatonic state. I can't say how long he will stay like this, or even if he ever will snap out of it. It all depends on him," She said mournfully. Shikamaru's shoulders slumped. Kakashi heaved a heavy sigh, his voice shaky as he replied. "
I...I think I'll go let Iruka know. He's been wanting to visit for a while now." Kakashi couldn't think of anything else to say so he simply left, head down in reflection.
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Naruto still hadn't shown any signs of life since then. Although it was a relief to many that the blonde was finally awake, Iruka couldn't help but wonder if it would have been better if Naruto had stayed in that coma.
Iruka loved Naruto as if he was his own son, which was one of the reasons why as soon as he had heard that Naruto had awoken, he had filed for custody, like he should have done all those years ago when he first met Naruto. Tsunade hadn't questioned his actions and had approved of it.
It was also because of the love that Iruka had for Naruto that made him question if Naruto wanted to live his life like this.
Naruto had always been a bright child. Maybe not in his studies or when it came to answering simple pen and paper tests, but Naruto was smart when it came to real life situations. How else would he have been able to live on his own for all those years? Naruto was always optimistic, and he never let what others say bring him down. If anything, it only served to encourage him to try harder. Naruto was always a bundle of joy that Iruka was happy to be around. The possibility that all that would be gone…it felt like something had been ripped out of Iruka, leaving him with a hole in his chest that he swore was bleeding.
Naruto had been through so much during his wrongful incarceration. It was no surprise that when Naruto was imprisoned, Iruka cut off all interaction with the others. They were the ones that had accused his sweet son of doing…doing
that. It was their fault that Naruto was now like this.
Iruka could feel his jaw clench tight and his hands slowly close into fists. He, along with the Sand Siblings, Konohamaru's group, and Teuchi and Ayame, the owners of Ichiraku Ramen (the place Iruka often thought of as Naruto's home away from home) were the only ones that believed in Naruto's innocence. Surprisingly, even Sai had believed in Naruto.
Gaara had visited as soon as he had learned what had happened and, in what can only be considered a MASSIVE understatement, was not happy. Iruka had been on his way to see the Hokage any way to talk some sense into her when he heard them talking. Gaara had demanded to know what Tsunade was thinking for locking Naruto away. Tsunade had tried to explain that even though she didn't want to believe it herself, all the evidence pointed to Naruto. The young Kazekage quickly, and loudly, stated what he thought of the so called "evidence" and left, but not before telling her how much of an idiot she and Naruto's friends were for believing in such lies.
The relationship between Konohagakure and Sunagakure had suffered badly as a result, and was now barely intact. Konoha's other relationships with Wave and Snow was now none existent, choosing to solely rely on the other and Sunagakure to get what they needed. If it hadn't been for a few necessities, and he did mean few, Suna had to import from Konoha, Iruka was sure that Gaara would have cut off all ties before leaving Tsunade's office that day. Iruka himself wished that he could leave this village full of idiots, but the thought of Naruto waking up and not having anyone to turn to kept him here. He just couldn't abandon his former student.
Konohamaru and his group got into fights with the other kids of the village, sometimes even the older ones, whenever they would say anything negative about Naruto. To protest, the scope of their pranks knew no limits, and they became somewhat more liberal with their willingness to target people who they heard praise the decision to imprison Naruto. Teuchi and Ayame would throw out any costumers that spoke badly of Naruto in their shop. It brought a smile to Iruka's face to know that people, even if was just a few, had believed in Naruto's innocence from the beginning.
With a sigh, Iruka looked up from his seat and settled his gaze on his catatonic student. His only wish was that everything would turn out okay in the end.
A knock on the door drove him from his depressing thoughts. The door opened after a moment's hesitation and Sakura and Tsunade came in to the room. Sakura looked like a bigger mess than she had been lately. Tsunade nodded her head at Iruka in a polite but formal greeting. Iruka gave a stiff nod back only because it would be rude for him to not give some show of respect to his leader. He politely ignored Sakura when she looked his way. Frankly, being in the same room as them made his stomach churn, but he endured it for Naruto's sake. He didn't want to leave Naruto alone in the same room as them.
He sighed in irritation and watched with narrowed eyes as the Hokage checked over Naruto for the hundredth time that day. Iruka didn't see what the purpose was; it was the same results every time and only served as a reminder that all of this was their fault.
Sakura stood by the door, almost reluctant to go anywhere near the blonde, for which Iruka was glad. At least one of the main reasons had sense enough to stay away from his adopted son.
Iruka knew that his attitude towards things had changed drastically in the past few months. He didn't go out much now, or spend time with others unless he had to. He was more quiet and reserved than he used to be. He also wasn't stupid. He knew this was some kind of sick, "fool-proof" plan concocted by the Uchiha to get Naruto on his side. So far, Iruka thought that the plan was working.
Tsunade finished checking Naruto and declared that there was no change. She ignored the scoff from Iruka and motioned for Sakura to leave. When they were alone, she sighed before turning and facing Iruka.
"I know you're upset, Iruka, we all are, but you don't have—"
"Upset? I'm more that upset!" Iruka stood from his chair, teeth clenched tightly. He didn't care that this was his leader. He would rather be damned for eternity than put up with this any longer. "You don't have the right to tell me what to do! Not after this.
Never after this! Naruto trusted you! He believed that you would know him as well as he knew you, and you betrayed him! For God's sake, how could any of you have believed him capable of that?"
Tsunade's gaze didn't waver as he yelled at her.
"I don't care about Sasuke Uchiha. I don't care that he was the one to plan all this! I DO care that the people closest to Naruto didn't seem to know him at all, and didn't care enough to know that he could have never done something like this! None of you even thought twice about it! You locked him away in that pit for a year, and now I may never have him back!"
Iruka stifled a sob as angry tears began to flow from his eyes. Tsunade averted her eyes, trying not to cry herself.
"I knew about it."
Iruka looked up, confusion clear in his eyes.
"There was a report…of someone near his cell. No one was ever clear on who it was, they always wore a cloak. I didn't think much of it then, just like I disregarded…the things…that were done to him in there. I always
knew, but I didn't want to acknowledge it. I couldn't handle finding out that
that had happened, so I acted like nothing did. I couldn't handle it, I still can't. Especially now that I know that all of this could have been prevented."
Iruka didn't say anything. Tsunade stared at him sadly.
"I know you can't forgive me—"
"Forgive you?" He whispered.
"I never meant—"
"Don't." Iruka's voice was strained. He felt like hitting her, hitting something, hitting ANYTHING, but he managed to restrain himself. "Just, don't."
Tsunade watched as Iruka, still stiff with fury, turned to the door. "It's not me who you should be apologizing to. I hope he has the strength to forgive you…for
his sake, not yours."
Iruka stormed out the room, barely holding on to his composure by his fingernails. He couldn't believe what he had heard! Whether she chose to admit it to the others or not, the fact remained that Tsunade knew what was happening to Naruto in that hellhole all along. Iruka's sight began turning red with rage.
The Uchiha had played the village, and like the idiots they were, they fell right into his hands. Iruka hated Sasuke with a passion and swore that if he ever saw his previous student again, he'd kill him. As slowly and painfully as possible. Not because it would make him feel better, but because the Uchiha deserved it.
