-3rd Person-

Naruto sits beside Mizuki's hospital bed, arms crossed and face tense with frustration. His eyes constantly dart between Mizuki and the door, as if waiting for someone to walk in. But for now, it's just the two of them. The quiet in the room is unnerving—Naruto, usually so animated, now sits in brooding silence. Mizuki, pale against the white hospital sheets, stares blankly at the ceiling. Her hands rest limply on her lap, fingers occasionally twitching, but she doesn't speak.

Naruto shifts uncomfortably in his chair, the tension rolling off him in waves. "They shouldn't have done it," he mutters under his breath, more to himself than to Mizuki. "Yamato had no right..."

Mizuki doesn't respond, only nodding absently, her mind elsewhere. Her bright blue eyes look distant, as though her thoughts are far removed from the room, and even farther from the events Naruto is stewing over. There's an eerie calm in the way she sits—silent, almost as if she's still trying to process everything that happened.

A few moments pass, and the door creaks open. Tsunade and Yamato step inside, their presence heavy in the room. Yamato stands tall and silent, his disciplined demeanor making him seem even more detached. Tsunade, however, looks slightly uneasy, her brows furrowed with concern. She walks in with purpose, but there's a flicker of hesitation in her eyes as she takes in the sight of Naruto's stony glare and Mizuki's distant expression.

Naruto's eyes immediately snap toward them, his glare hardening the moment Tsunade steps closer to Mizuki's bed. He doesn't speak, but the tension in his body says enough—he's angry, and they both know why.

"Mizuki..." Tsunade starts softly, her tone apologetic as she approaches the bedside. "I wanted to come by and explain. What happened a few days ago—restraining you—it wasn't something I wanted to do."

Mizuki's eyes flicker for a brief second, her gaze shifting toward Tsunade, but she doesn't say anything. Instead, she offers a small nod in response, acknowledging Tsunade's words without showing much emotion. Her usual stuttered speech stays locked behind her lips.

Yamato, who remains standing near the door, keeps his eyes forward. His posture is rigid, disciplined, as if he's prepared to take whatever verbal lashing might come from Naruto. But he doesn't speak. It's clear he's leaving the explaining to Tsunade, even if part of him wishes to say something.

Tsunade's eyes soften at Mizuki's lack of response, but she continues. "We... I had to make a difficult decision. Sasuke is dangerous. You understand that, right?"

Mizuki's fingers twitch slightly, her grip tightening around the blanket draped over her. She nods again, this time slower, her eyes still avoiding direct contact. The mere mention of Sasuke's name seems to pull her further into herself, and Naruto, noticing this, tightens his grip on the armrests of his chair.

Naruto can't hold it in any longer. "She didn't need to be restrained!" he snaps, his voice sharp and accusatory. His eyes burn with frustration as they bore into Tsunade. "You didn't have to order Yamato to do that! You made it worse! Mizuki was—"

"Naruto," Tsunade interrupts, though her tone remains calm. She knows better than to match Naruto's heat. "I didn't want to. I didn't want to hurt her, or stop her from going after Sasuke. But I had to think about her safety."

Naruto stands up from his chair abruptly, fists clenched at his sides. "Her safety?!" he growls, voice rising. "You think holding her back like that is what's best for her? She wanted to reach Sasuke! She could've—"

"She could've been killed, Naruto!" Tsunade's voice sharpens for the first time, frustration seeping into her words. Her hands slam down on the railing of the bed. "Sasuke is not the same person you knew and Orochimaru was present. Neither of you understand how dangerous he's become. Mizuki's emotions... her feelings for him—they cloud her judgment. You know that."

Naruto opens his mouth to argue again, but he stops when he feels Mizuki's gentle hand on his arm. He glances down at her, and the intensity in his gaze falters. She shakes her head slowly, the tiniest of movements, as if silently telling him to stop. Even though her voice doesn't come, her message is clear: she doesn't want him to fight this battle for her.

Naruto's anger simmers down, but he can't fully let it go. "I just don't think it was right," he mutters, his voice lower now but still laced with frustration.

Tsunade watches Mizuki carefully, her heart heavy with guilt. She knows Naruto is upset, but it's Mizuki's quiet acceptance that cuts deeper. Mizuki, the one who should be angry, the one who should be yelling and demanding answers, is simply sitting there, nodding in silence. Tsunade can see the pain in her eyes, the confusion, but Mizuki doesn't voice it.

"I'm sorry," Tsunade says, her voice softening once again. "I'm truly sorry, Mizuki. I know you wanted to help Sasuke. But sometimes, wanting to help isn't enough. Sometimes we have to protect you, even from yourself."

Mizuki's fingers tighten on the blanket again, but all she does is nod. No words, no argument, just a silent acknowledgment of the apology. She glances briefly at Yamato, who remains stoic, his face unreadable. Even though she doesn't blame him, she can't help but feel the weight of his presence, knowing it was his jutsu that held her back.

Naruto, noticing her discomfort, glares at Yamato. "You could at least say something," he snaps at the silent man, his tone accusatory.

Yamato remains still, his gaze unwavering. "I followed orders," he replies simply, his voice steady but devoid of emotion. It's not an excuse—it's a fact. And that fact does nothing to ease Naruto's anger.

Naruto scoffs, crossing his arms again. "Yeah, well, maybe next time think before you follow orders like that."

Tsunade sighs, rubbing her forehead with her hand. "Yamato was doing his job, Naruto. Don't take it out on him."

Naruto bites back another retort, settling instead for a bitter silence. He glances at Mizuki, whose eyes are now downcast, as if retreating further into her thoughts. The sight of her so withdrawn makes his chest tighten with worry.

"Mizuki..." Naruto's voice softens as he kneels beside her bed, taking her hand gently. "Are you okay?"

Mizuki looks at him, and for a moment, there's a flicker of emotion in her eyes. She nods slowly, but the gesture feels empty. Her lips press together, as if she wants to speak, but no words come. The stutter she often fights with remains locked behind her silence, and all she can offer is another nod.

Naruto's heart aches at the sight of her like this—so quiet, so unlike herself. He wants her to yell, to scream, to let out everything she's holding inside. But she doesn't. She just nods, accepting everything with a quiet grace that makes Naruto feel even more helpless.

Tsunade watches the two of them, her guilt deepening. "I know this is hard," she says softly, her eyes lingering on Mizuki's withdrawn expression. "But we're here to help. I promise, Mizuki, we'll make this right."

Another nod from Mizuki, and Naruto squeezes her hand in reassurance, though he doesn't know what else to say. He's furious, but he's also lost. He doesn't know how to make things better for her, and that uncertainty gnaws at him.

Tsunade steps back, motioning for Yamato to follow. "We won't take up any more of your time. You need rest, Mizuki. We'll talk more when you're ready."

Yamato gives a curt nod, his face still unreadable as he turns to leave. Tsunade lingers for a moment longer, her gaze heavy with unspoken apologies, before she quietly exits the room, leaving Naruto and Mizuki alone once more.

As the door closes behind them, Naruto lets out a frustrated breath, running a hand through his hair. "I don't get it," he mutters. "I don't get why they don't trust you..."

Mizuki doesn't respond, her eyes fixed on the window. The sun is setting outside, casting a warm, orange glow over the room. She watches the colors shift across the sky, her mind a whirlwind of emotions she can't quite process.

Naruto sits beside her again, his anger simmering down into a quiet, worried frustration. He watches her for a long moment, then leans back in his chair, arms crossed.

"I'll always trust you, Mizuki," he says softly, his voice barely above a whisper.

And in the fading light of the evening, Mizuki gives one final nod.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

And that's it for this chapter, at least Tsunade apologized- I mean, I can't really blame Yamato since he was only following orders.

Anyways!

Holpe you guys are still enjoying the chapters!

Lemme know your thoughts!

Bye Potatoes!

Stay Fab!