Through the Darkness To You (Sasuke x Reader)

Chapter 3: Protecting a Friend

"You okay?" I asked, dropping to my knees and ignoring the sting in my bruised shoulder.

He coughed, then managed a shaky grin that was half-laughter, half-grimace. "Y-Yeah... didn't think you'd fight so hard for me." His eyes gleamed with awe, as if no one had ever gone that far on his behalf.

I offered him my hand, helping him to his feet. "Well, they needed a reminder not to mess with us," I said, still riding the wave of anger, "so I gave it to them." For a moment, I wondered if I sounded too harsh, but seeing the bruises on Naruto's arms made my blood boil all over again.

He winced, flexing his shoulder. "You're kinda awesome, dattebayo," he murmured, voice unsteady. "I've... never had anyone do that for me. Ever."

A lump formed in my throat, my chest tightening with both pity and admiration. Naruto was so used to standing on his own, fighting a battle no one should have to fight alone. "You're my friend," I said simply, forcing a small smile. "That's what friends do."

He laughed, though it came out half-choked by pain. "Guess so." He wiped at a small cut on his cheek, then looked around with a sheepish grin. "Still, you sure showed 'em. Man, imagine when we learn real jutsu—nobody's gonna mess with us then!"

I grinned back, despite the soreness that was starting to set in all over my body. I opened my mouth to reply, but a tingling sensation at the back of my neck made me pause. I glanced over my shoulder and spotted a boy leaning against a distant tree. He had raven-black hair, slightly spiky at the back, and dark intense eyes. It was Sasuke Uchiha. There was something cold about the way he stared at us, like he was observing a specimen rather than two kids who'd just been in a brawl.

Our gazes locked for a moment. My heart pounded again, though this time it wasn't from anger—it was from a strange unease. He looked away almost immediately, slipping behind the trunk and disappearing as if he'd never been there. I breathed out, unsure why my stomach twisted. Part of me wondered if he'd seen the entire fight and silently judged me for it.

"Hey," Naruto said, catching my attention. "Y/N, what's up? You okay?"

I shook off my thoughts. "Yeah... just thought I saw someone watching us." I scanned the spot again but the boy was gone. "Doesn't matter."

Naruto gave a half-shrug, wincing at the movement. "Whoever it was probably thinks we're weird or something, dattebayo." He smirked weakly. "But that's okay. I'm used to it."

Anger flickered again, but I pushed it down. I helped him limp to the gates, each step reminding me of my own bruises and scrapes. My shoulder ached from that punch, and my scalp still stung from having my hair pulled. It'd probably hurt more tomorrow, but at least we were walking away as the winners—sort of.

"You sure you can get home by yourself?" I asked quietly when we reached the main road. Streaks of deep orange and crimson stretched across the sky, reminding me how late it had gotten.

Naruto puffed out his chest a little, though he was wincing with every breath. "I'm fine, don't worry. You gotta take care of yourself too, dattebayo." Then his expression softened. "Seriously though... thanks. Nobody's ever stuck their neck out for me like that."

A shy smile spread across my face. "We Uzumaki gotta look out for each other, right?" The words came out before I realized it, and I felt a surge of emotion. My mother was gone, and as far as I knew, I had no other close kin in the village. Yet here he was, another Uzumaki, standing bruised but unbroken beside me.

Naruto's grin returned, eyes bright despite everything. "Right!"

We shared a quiet laugh, and then he hobbled off toward his home, turning back twice to wave. Even after he vanished around a corner, I stood there, letting the breeze cool my burning face. My limbs felt heavy, but my heart felt light. For the first time in a long while, I didn't feel completely alone. Maybe this was what my mother wanted for me—a life where I protected someone else and let them protect me in return.

Still, as I headed toward my own silent house, I couldn't shake the image of that raven-haired boy under the tree. He had watched every punch, every kick, every moment of that scuffle with an unreadable expression. Why did he simply stand there without interfering or walking away?

Questions whirled in my mind, but I pushed them aside. Right now, Naruto's words and my mother's memory gave me enough to hold onto: Protect others... live with a kind heart... we Uzumaki look out for each other. It was enough to make me believe that maybe, just maybe, this was the start of something good.

When I finally reached my front door, I rubbed my sore arm and took a deep breath before stepping inside. The room was as quiet and empty as ever, but for once, I felt the hush a bit differently. Because now, I knew that somewhere in this village, there was a loud, orange-clad boy who shared my Uzumaki blood—and he'd welcomed me as a friend. We both carried scars of loneliness, but together, we could create a new kind of bond that might heal at least a few of those wounds.

A slight ache in my bruised shoulder reminded me that tomorrow would bring plenty of soreness—maybe more teasing from those older boys, maybe more stares. But it would also bring Naruto's bright grin and unstoppable energy. And that was something I could look forward to, something that made my mother's final words feel real in my life. I hoped she was proud of me—wherever she was. Because I'd taken a step closer to living with a kind heart, just like she asked... and I had no intention of stopping now.