Naruto: reborn as an Uzumaki

In Tsunade's living quarters, the atmosphere was heavy with concern. Shizune sat beside Kenshin, who lay unconscious on the bed. Every so often, his body would tremble slightly, his expression tightening in fear or distress. Each time it happened, Shizune would gently place her hand on his forehead or shoulder, her touch seeming to reassure him. His trembling would subside, his features relaxing once more.

She sighed softly, her fingers brushing through his hair in a comforting gesture. 'Poor boy,' she thought. 'What did he do to deserve this?'

When the door opened, Shizune looked up to see Tsunade enter, followed by Suu. Immediately, she rose from the bed and moved to help Tsunade take off her coat.

"Has he woken up?" Tsunade asked, her tone brisk but tinged with worry.

Shizune shook her head. "No, Hokage-sama. He hasn't woken up, but… he's been shaking from time to time. Probably from fear or something else in his mind. But he calms down when I try to soothe him, almost like he just needs to know someone is here with him."

Tsunade's expression darkened as she walked over to Kenshin. Sitting beside him, she gently placed a hand on his cheek, her thumb brushing over his skin. His face was calm now, almost peaceful, but the sight of him like this twisted something deep in her chest.

Quietly, she murmured, "Did I do this? Is this my fault?"

Shizune opened her mouth to protest, her tone urgent. "Tsunade-sama, it's not your fault—"

But Suu interrupted, her voice steady and matter-of-fact. "It is. In a way."

Tsunade stiffened, her jaw tightening, but Suu continued before she could respond. "But none of that matters now. What matters is what we do from here. We need to wait for him to wake up, and then I'll resume therapy. I have an idea that might motivate him to move past this, but I'll need to be forceful about it."

Suu shrugged off her coat, walking over to the coat hanger to hang it neatly. Turning back to Shizune, she added, "In the meantime, could you make some tea? Sitting around all gloomy like this won't help anyone. I'll use the time to prepare a new simulation for Kenshin."

Shizune tilted her head, confused. "Simulation? What kind of—"

She stopped mid-sentence and turned to Tsunade, whose subtle nod signaled agreement. Understanding her silent directive, Shizune nodded back and left the room to head toward the kitchen.

As the door closed behind her, Suu pulled out a small notebook from her pocket and began scribbling notes, her focus entirely on her task. Tsunade remained seated by Kenshin's side, her hand never leaving his face as her thoughts churned.

As they sat, sipping on freshly brewed tea, the room was steeped in a heavy silence. Shizune finally broke it, her voice soft but curious. "Suu-san, what exactly are you planning to do with Kenshin when he wakes up?"

Suu leaned back in her chair, rubbing her temples as she replied, her voice tinged with weariness. "I'm going to show him a scene, constructed using Akane's memory. Something that will help him understand that the incident he's holding onto didn't happen the way he believes it did.

Hopefully, it'll show him that Akane is strong—strong enough to grow on her own without him constantly protecting her. And in a way, it will help him realize that his overprotectiveness is stunting his own growth as well."

Shizune nodded, though didn't quite understand the full depth of Suu's plan. She trusted Tsunade's judgment in bringing Suu in, and that trust was enough to keep her doubts at bay.

Suddenly, Kenshin began trembling violently, his entire body convulsing as if he were being strangled in his sleep.

Tsunade quickly leaned over, placing a firm yet gentle hand on his forehead. The moment her hand made contact, his trembling stopped, his breathing steadied, and his body relaxed once more.

Tsunade's heart sank at the sight of him like this. She averted her gaze, biting the inside of her cheek as she struggled to keep her emotions in check. Seeing someone so young, someone so close to her, in such a state of distress was almost unbearable.

Suu observed the scene quietly before exhaling softly. She realized she needed rest herself if she was to be of any help later. Her fatigue, both physical and mental, was catching up to her, especially after staying up most of the previous night to prepare simulations for Kenshin's therapy session.

The extreme strain from the final simulation had left her nearly incapacitated, and she couldn't risk a repeat of that.

Shizune noticed Suu's exhaustion and asked, "Have you had lunch yet?"

Suu shook her head, her tone laced with dry humor. "I was a bit busy recovering from a stroke, so no."

Shizune frowned but didn't push. "Wait here. I'll grab you something to eat. You shouldn't be on an empty stomach."

Without waiting for a response, Shizune left the room. A short while later, she returned with some takeout, opting for speed over cooking.

Suu ate quietly, her expression softening slightly as the food restored some of her energy. Once finished, she took a pillow from the bed and stretched out on the couch.

"I'm going to have a nap now. Wake me when he wakes up," Suu murmured before closing her eyes.

Shizune nodded and then excused herself to attend to the paperwork waiting in Tsunade's office. For a time, the room was quiet save for Kenshin's steady breathing and the occasional sound of Suu shifting in her sleep.

A few hours later, Kenshin finally stirred. His eyes fluttered open, taking in the blurry figure of Tsunade hunched over him, her head resting on the edge of the bed.

At the faint sound of movement, her eyes shot open, and she sat up straight, relief flooding her expression.

"Kenshin!" she exclaimed softly, her voice a mix of joy and concern.

He turned his head away, guilt flickering across his features. "I'm sorry for making you worry… for no reason."

Tsunade frowned but didn't respond immediately. Kenshin's gaze then shifted to the couch, where Suu was asleep. His eyes widened in shock as memories flooded back—Suu, lying unconscious on the floor of her office, blood pooling beside her head.

"She's okay," Tsunade reassured him, noticing his expression. "She's just tired, so let her rest. She wasn't hurt too much, and she wants to help you."

With her help, Kenshin sat up slowly, his body still feeling the aftereffects of his mental turmoil.

"You want some cake?" Tsunade asked, her tone light in an attempt to ease the tension. "Shizune baked a really nice chocolate cake this morning, but we didn't really get a chance to finish it. You should try it."

Kenshin blinked at her offer, caught off guard. Then, for the first time in what felt like forever, a faint smile tugged at his lips. "Yeah… I think I'd like that."

Tsunade smiled in return, her relief growing as she saw a glimmer of the boy she knew return. For now, it was enough.

Kenshin's gaze remained fixed on the bed, his thoughts dark and heavy. The memory of Suu lying in a pool of her own blood replayed in his mind, a cruel loop that he couldn't escape.

He knew how serious the damage had been, how close she'd come to dying. It was only because of his right eye's ability that she was alive now, and even that felt like a hollow victory to him.

'I almost killed her… I hurt Ino… I can't protect anyone,' he thought bitterly, his hands clenching into trembling fists on his lap. But he said nothing.

He didn't want to burden Tsunade with his self-loathing. She was already doing more for him than he felt like he deserved.

Tsunade handed him the slice of cake, her warm smile cutting through the oppressive guilt he felt. He reached out to take it, but his hands betrayed him, trembling uncontrollably.

Tsunade's sharp eyes noticed immediately, and she placed the plate down on the small table instead. "Relax, Kenshin," she said gently. "You don't have to push yourself."

She picked up the fork and sat down in front of him. Without hesitation, she began feeding him, a tenderness in her actions that made Kenshin's heart ache.

She didn't know him well, not yet, but the familial bond they shared made her want to care for him like he was one of her own.

Kenshin quietly accepted the bites of cake, his throat tightening with emotion he refused to let show. Tsunade's concern, her warmth, the way she treated him like family—it was almost too much to bear.

When he was done, she stood and brought him a glass of water, holding it to his lips to help him drink.

"Thank you," Kenshin said softly, his voice barely above a whisper.

Tsunade smiled again, but she didn't speak, sensing that words might overwhelm him. She placed the glass back on the table and sat beside him, resting a comforting hand on his shoulder.

As the room settled into quiet again, Suu stirred on the couch. Her eyes fluttered open, and she groggily pushed herself up, realizing Kenshin was awake. Her sharp gaze softened when their eyes met, and she gave him a small, tired smile.

"You're awake," she said, her voice hoarse but steady. She sat up fully, brushing a strand of hair from her face as she assessed him. "Good. We've got work to do."

Kenshin frowned, guilt flashing across his face. "Suu-san… I—"

"Don't," Suu interrupted firmly, holding up a hand. "We'll talk about it later. For now, let's focus on getting you back on track."

Her tone was brisk, but there was no anger in it, only determination. Kenshin nodded slowly, his gaze dropping to his lap.

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